How to Fill Your Mini Fridge for $20

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Whether it’s the ominous possibility of the dreaded freshman fifteen or those constant reminders from your mom, it’s no secret that maintaining a balanced diet in college can be a challenge. To help, we shopped at D&D’s near north campus and Whole Foods near south campus to find the best deals for the healthiest food in Evanston.

Each food item listed is a good source of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy living. Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, vitamin C is known to boost the immune system, potassium builds muscle and protein, and fiber helps satisfy the appetite.

Whole Foods – 1111 Chicago Avenue:

Photo by Karen Ding

Stonyfield Organic Oikos Greek Yogurt (4-pack): Greek yogurt is a great source of protein; it has about as much protein as a 3-ounce chicken cutlet. Live and active cultures in Greek yogurt are not only good for your digestive system, but also help keep the bacteria in your stomach healthy. A serving is about four ounces, so this tub should last almost a week. If you aren’t ready to commit to 24 ounces of Greek yogurt, you could always get .99-cent Yoplait yogurts available at Lisa’s or a 32-ounce Dannon’s all-natural yogurt for $3.79. All three are great options for breakfast, snacks, or when you’re craving something sweet after dinner. Price: $5.69

Grapes: Instead of reaching for chips or popcorn, grab a handful of grapes when you’re in the mood for some mindless snacking. Grapes are full of vitamins A and C as well as minerals like potassium and calcium. Think of them as nature’s version of Skittles. Price: $3.99

365 Harvest Blend Frozen Meal: It’s always smart to have an emergency frozen meal in your freezer in case you’re too late for the dining halls or impossibly hungry after a night out. Whole Foods’ frozen meals are healthy and easy to make in any dorm microwave. Price: $1.99

D & D Finer Foods – 825 Noyes St.:

Photo by Karen Ding

Cedars Hummus (8-oz.): Primarily made from chickpeas, a high protein legume, hummus is a delicious and filling dip to spice up any vegetable or snack. It contains plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids and is also replete with essential amino acids that are known to lead to sounder sleeping and a boost in mood. If you find you can’t get enough, there is also a 16-ounce tub for $5.79. Price: $2.99

Photo by Karen Ding

Bell peppers, baby carrots and celery: Crunchy and sweet, bell peppers are a tasty, low-calorie snack that can either be eaten alone or dipped in hummus or salsa. They’re also a great source of vitamins A and C and metabolism-stimulating minerals like niacin and thiamin. We liked Wilson Produce’s bag of sweet mini peppers from Whole Foods (a steal for $4.49). This one-pound bag has a 21-day shelf life, so it should last a while. If peppers aren’t for you, baby carrots ($1.49 at D&D’s) or celery sticks ($3.99 at Whole Foods) are smart alternatives. Price: $1.49 – $4.49

Total: ~$20.00

If you’re more of a fruit person, you could always swap out the peppers and hummus for apples or clementines. At D&D’s, you can buy seven apples for $6, and because they’re so high in fiber, munching on them can keep you full for hours. Cuties, or mini clementines, are sold by the bag at D&D’s for $5.99. One clementine is enough to fulfill half your daily quota of Vitamin C. They’re also a good source of calcium, vitamin A and potassium. If cheese is your weakness, you could substitute hummus for Organic 365 string cheese for $3.99 from Whole Foods. Lastly, the cheapest place to buy milk is CVS. Half a gallon there is sold for just $2.29.